The present invention relates to an accessory for bicycles. More particularly, the invention relates to a sound generating device and control display for amusement and/ or safety of bicyclists or others nearby. The invention is an alert and amusement accessory designed to be mounted on the frame member and engaged in the front or rear wheels of velocipedes. More specifically, the invention is a noisemaker which is coupled to a wheel of a velocipede and which is adapted to selectively produce audible sounds.
Bicycles are common and well known implements of travel and recreation in modern society. However, bicycles are merely one form of a xe2x80x9cvelocipedexe2x80x9d, which term is herein intended to mean a vehicle by which a person may travel, including but not limited to: bicycles, tricycles, skates, skateboards, rollerblades, wheelchairs, trucks, motorcycles or toy vehicles. Accordingly, all references which are specifically directed hereunder to bicycles are further intended to include by implication other velocipedes where applicable according to one of ordinary skill.
Bicycles are being increasingly used for recreation in parks or bike trails. In addition, children commuting to school and adults to work add to the rising number of bicyclists on streets in communities. Furthermore, bicycles have developed as occupational vehicles such as, for example, as used by messengers, professional racers, and police officers). According to the growing use of bicycles for travel, concomitant safety concerns have evolved at an equal rate, and particularly in regards to the increased bicycle traffic in the urban environment. For example, it has been disclosed that over 400,000 children age 14 and under are treated in emergency rooms each year for bicycle-related injuries. Moreover, it is further believed that greater than 75% of bicycle fatalities are due to head injuries that occur are a result of falling and striking paved surfaces, usually city streets.
In many circumstances, there is a need to for a cyclist to alert others within a zone of danger of the cyclist""s proximity and direction of approach. Therefore, bicycles, in contrast to their essentially silent nature must become a noisemaking presence in the urban environment. For example, bicyclists frequenting urban trails are commonly required to have a audible alert accessory with an audible range of 100 feet. When commuting at dawn or dust, the streets are dark and bicyclists need to see, and be seen and heard.
In addition to the safety concerns just described, noisemakers on bicycles are also well known for other applications. For example, it has been observed that toys equipped with some type of noisemaker tend to aid parents in locating children who are apt to wander off. In another example, bicycle and other velocipede noisemakers also tend to have amusement value, particularly for children who combine noisemaking with riding toys, bicycles, or other velocipedes during play.
According to the safety concerns and other noisemaking needs related to velocipedes as just described, noise makers such as bells and horns have traditionally been made available as velocipede accessories. In general, such traditional bells and horns make noise on command by actuating a lever or button made available to the user while riding, such as in a common application on a bicycle""s handlebars.
In addition to the traditional bicycle bells or horns, various forms of strikers have also been disclosed as a noisemaking implement for velocipedes with wheels having spokes. The term xe2x80x9cstrikerxe2x80x9d and variants thereof is herein intended to mean a mechanism coupled to a velocipede""s wheel and which is struck by the wheel""s spokes when turning to thereby emit a sound.
Perhaps the most traditional forms of bicycle xe2x80x9cstrikerxe2x80x9d noisemakers have generally been developed by children during play. One well known and traditional form of a bicycle striker involves mounting playing cards with clothes pins to the fork of a bicycle wheel such that, as the wheel""s spokes strike the playing card a sound effect intended to mimic a motor is made. Other typical and traditional amusement accessories for bicycle wheels used decorative materials interlaced through the spokes, or reflective materials mounted on spokes. Other traditional variants of the playing card striker as noisemaker accessories include the use of flaps, reeds, or balloons mounted on the fork prong of a bicycle extended into the moving path of the spokes.
In additional to the traditional striker noisemakers just described, other striker noisemaker variants have also been disclosed in several various patent references.
For example, simple variations of the simple xe2x80x9cplaying cardxe2x80x9d version of a striker noisemaker have been described, and include specific mounting or material constructions in an assembly which simply engages a single card as a striker to wheel spokes. In one more specific example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,846 discloses use of a hinged clamp constructed of high friction, deformable materials and using springs to secure a mounting assembly to a bicycle so that a flap attached to the mounting assembly produce motor like sounds. In another more specific example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,558 discloses a striker assembly which uses a clothes pin-type assembly for mounting a two cards as strikers which are adapted to emit a sound when struck by wheel spokes.
In a further example of a simple striker noisemaker variant, U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,450 discloses a simple flap engaged to an attachment assembly having an elongated member shaped to receive and mount onto a bicycle fender brace. A slotted end lug is adapted to be clampingly held by the same clamping nut employed to secure the wheel fender brace to the associated wheel axle bolt. Therefore, installation of this noisemaker requires removal of the wheel axle bolt of the bicycle in order to secure the elongated member to the frame.
Another example of a known striker noisemaker variant for use with vehicles having spoked wheels is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,677 to Tucker. Tucker discloses a noisemaking accessory with a plurality of fingers extending radially from a plate which is mounted to a bicycle frame. The plate can be selectively rotated so that the fingers rotate through the path of travel of the spokes until a predetermined one of the fingers is positioned within that path. The desired noise is the noise which is emitted from the fingers as they are struck by the spokes.
Still another example of a known xe2x80x9cspoked wheelxe2x80x9d striker noisemaker is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,592 to Griffin. Griffin discloses a mounting assembly with a hollow member which is intended to simulate a motorcycle exhaust pipe including a hollow member, which can be outwardly flared from a front end to an open end. A spoke-engaging member vibrates when the spokes of a bicycle wheel rotate. The vibrations resonate through the hollow pipe creating a combustion engine sound.
In addition to the various forms of striker noisemakers which are specifically intended for use with spoked wheels, other modern noisemakers have also been disclosed which merely engage the wheel as an actuating mechanism to drive a separate noisemaker assembly which does not rely specifically upon emitting sounds by striking the wheel""s spokes.
One specific example of a wheel actuated noisemaker is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,885 to Johnson. Johnson discloses a noisemaker for a bicycle that uses a drive wheel engaged to a wheel""s tire and that is in turn engaged to a resonating assembly that includes a resonating chamber, a resonating plate, a compressible spring and associated cam mechanism. The assembly is adapted to produce sound intended to simulate an engine by directing a surface-engaging noise from the resonating plate and an air compression noise into the resonating chamber.
Another known bicycle noisemaker is driven by a battery and has a controllable pitch by use of a generator engaged to a bicycle wheel, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,372 to Kramer. More specifically, Kramer discloses a generator assembly which is driven by a roller engaged to a turning wheel. As the cyclists increases the pace of pedalling, the wheel and roller turn faster and the change in generator output modifies the pitch of the sound from the battery powered noisemaker in order to simulate the increased pitch of a motor as it is driven faster.
Some known problems or concerns which are believed to be variously attributable to at least one of the previously disclosed bicycle noisemakers such as those summarized above include, without limitation: difficult installation; slippage and rotation of the associated mounting assembly around the bicycle frame and can jam and bind wheel; inadequate volume of sound emitted, such as from strikers; strikers may be easily dislodged after limited use; traditional strikers tend to degrade after minimal use; sounds produced are not xe2x80x9crealisticxe2x80x9d, such as for example do not sound similar to real motors; can not control the noisemaker between on and off during cycling; can not select between various sounds during cycling.
None of the cited velocipede noisemaker accessories includes a striker noisemaker assembly which provides multiple, independent strikers which may be independently selected for placement within the spoke path of a spoked wheel of a velocipede.
None of the cited velocipede noisemaker accessories includes a striker positioned within the spoke path of a spoked wheel, a microphone engaged to the striker and also to an amplifier, and a speaker coupled to the amplifier, such that vibrational sound from the striker when struck by the spokes may be amplified and broadcast from speaker during cycling.
None of the cited velocipede noisemaker accessories includes a striker noisemaker assembly adapted for use with a spoked wheel wherein any one of a plurality of separate and independent strikers may be selected for placement within a spoke""s path of a wheel in order to produce a sound during cycling.
None of the cited velocipede noisemaker accessories includes a pre-recorded noise which is stored in a readable medium which is further coupled to a speaker and also to a wheel of a velocipede such that rotation of the wheel actuates or modifies a sound which is transmitted from the readable medium through the speaker.
The accessory of the present invention, is an amusement and engineering counter measure primarily designed to enhance fun for users, and aid in the reduction of crashes occurring in situations of vehicle/vehicle or vehicle/pedestrian interactions. The accessory can be configured to produce distinct sounds, such as motors, bells, trills, whistles, chimes, beeps, words, or phrases in order to alert others of a presence in the area. The accessory will allow activation by the motion of the rider or by the deliberate action of the rider.
The accessory described in the following descriptions, refer specifically to bicycles but the concepts are in no way limited. The concepts described may also be utilized on a variety of wheeled vehicles. Tricycles, skateboards, or toy vehicles such as trucks or cars with wheels that have wheel spokes or ribs that are capable of making contact with the actuating portion of accessory.
Even though, the invention was designed for fun and safety, the accessory has application to a variety of employment situations and the benefits are apparent over inventions solely developed for play.
The accessory can be configured as a children""s"" toy. The amusement aspect of invention enhances the play value and increases enjoyment derived from playing with toy vehicles, bicycles or using wheelchairs; especially for young people.
As a safety aide, the accessory acts as a visual and audio alert for children, senior bike riders, people who commute via wheelchair to shop, work, or make appointments.
The invention can be used as an occupational alert aidexe2x80x94bicycle messengers rely primarily on reflexes to avoid most crashes, but a motorist who turns right, without signaling; or the driver who runs a red light may be alerted to the presence of the cyclist if equipped with this invention.
The invention can be viewed as a platform on which to operate a series of accessories and devices, which can be incorporated or integrated into invention and used on wheeled vehicles